The Price of Winning
by AlmostPsychotic13
Summary: She is brave. He is strong. She has to win. He knows he will. Nothing will stop them, no matter how one feels for the other. Never has the Capitol been so intrigued by two tributes. May the 74th Hunger Games begin! Cato/Katniss E.
1. Target Acquired

**A/N: **Hi. This is the first story I have posted so please forgive me when I make errors or if it doesn't turn out too well. I am trying =) **R&R **to help me become better and put up more chapters.

I don't own the characters or anything related to the books, just the slight alteration in the storyline.

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><p><strong>The Price of Winning<br>Chapter 1, Target Acquired**

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><p><strong>Cato<strong>

It doesn't take a genius to know that Cato had just made them his target. The moment District 12's chariot entered, the crowd went crazy. The cameras were on them and so were the game makers' eyes. Cato knew that his chances of getting sponsors were slowly decreasing, and he hated it.

"Don't worry," Clove leans over to whisper, "No amount of sponsors will stop us from ripping them apart."

"What makes you think I'm worried?" Cato says in an annoyed tone.

"It's not exactly that difficult to read your thoughts, Cato. You give yourself too much credit."

Cato hisses. Who does Clove think she is? He could kill her in less than a second if he wanted to. But she was right, I mean, how much effort does is it take to kill off two tributes from an outlying district like District 12? None. Pretty clothes won't help them once they're in the arena. He could kill them in an instant and everyone knows it. When all the other tributes are dead, he'd kill Clove -assuming she'd still be alive then- and then he'd be crowned victor, bringing pride to his district.

President Snow finishes his speech with the infamous Capitol stellar phrase, "May the odds be ever in your favor!".

The audience roars and claps their hands, the moment the chariots were dismissed. They reach backstage and almost immediately, Cato wanted to leave. He could hear them, the rats from District 12, their stylists, and the pink haired lady that escorts them. They went on about how fabulous the two looked and how they had completely won the Capitol over by holding each others' hands up in the air.

"Katniss Everdeen, the girl who was on fire."

"The two of you stole the show in a second!"

"Quite an entrance, sweetheart."

Upon hearing this, the girl tribute from District 12 just smiles and looks at her fellow male tribute, who in return, smiles back.

"Now that, that might have just earned you some sp-" Their mentor trails off as soon as he noticed Cato's eyes on his tributes and the dirty look that goes with it.

"I think we better go upstairs." He says without looking away from Cato, gesturing the others to follow.

Haymitch Abernathy, that was his name. Cato remembers this because, despite how he is now, he was one of the most talked-about victors in District 2. Using the arena's force field in such a way is not something to be easily forgotten. Haymitch leads the group to the elevator as the District 12 girl steals a glance at what her mentor was uncertain about. Cato's expression hardens as the girl's eyes survey him, though, her expression blank, not the least bit intimidated, or at least that's what her face said. The second later, she turns away and follows the group to the elevator.

"Not what you expected?" Clove's snake-like voice reaches his ear from behind, "She wasn't the least bit scared of you." Cato had to admit the girl moved like a ninja. Even _he_ didn't notice her coming.

Cato scowls then turns around to face her "She should be."

"But she's not."

"She will be."

"She might not."

Cato scoffs "People who have something to live for, always fear for their death, Clove."

Clove rolls her eyes. "Even if it was so, you and I know that you intended for her to fear you at this moment, but failed."

Cato ignores her and goes to look for their mentors so they could just get the hell out of this floor. Training starts tomorrow, and he and Clove will need a good night sleep 'til then.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Ever since last night, Katniss knew her chances of getting killed got higher than ever. By the time their chariot had entered, the crowd went wild and more than half of the tributes' glaring eyes were glued to them. The same eyes still glaring as they reach backstage.

"Nice try, twelve." Glimmer, the girl from District 1, whose name she had picked up on after watching the replays of the reaping, said as she passed by her. Then there was that guy from District 2, Cato. Even Haymitch thought it was something that they had to get away from. Blue eyes that wanted to see blood. It made her shiver, but she knew better than to show her fear.

Katniss had been so caught up in her thoughts that she hadn't realized Haymitch staring at her from across the table.

"Careers, sweetheart, that's what they are." Haymitch says, as if he had read her thoughts.

"Careers? You mean those who actually train for this all their life?" Peeta questions.

Haymitch nods "They're dangerous, avoid them as much as possible."

"Well that's not likely to happen since they want us dead." Silence takes place in the room after Katniss says this. They don't say anything because they know its true and there's nothing they could do about it.

Breaking the silence, Katniss gets up from her seat "Training is about to start, isn't it? Let's get going."

Haymitch nods his head, and follows her along with Peeta.

In the Training Center, they gather in a circle with Atala, their head trainer, in the middle. She explains to them about the rules and different stations set up around the place. While she's at it, Katniss' eyes accidentally land on the monstrous boy from District 2, who looked like he couldn't care less about what the trainer was saying. He just wanted to get his hands on a weapon and slice a dummy in half with it, or if he could, a human being. Katniss continues to look at Cato absent-mindedly before his eyes land on her as well. A smirk slowly quickly forming on his face, like he wanted her to be the person he'd sever. Katniss looks away, her eyes find Peeta listening intently to what the trainer was saying, then she turns to the opposite side where a red-headed girl, who couldn't look anymore like a fox, stood poised.

A minute passes and Atala sends off the tributes to start training. Katniss decides to start small, since it was the first day and she didn't want to show off what she was capable of just yet. Especially since the careers have their eye on her. She'll have to save her archery skills for the private sessions. She heads over to the knot-tying station with Peeta and starts tying ropes.

This goes on for twenty minutes before she notices the District 2 girl named Clove in the station next to hers, the knives station. By this time, Peeta had already left for the rope course. Katniss watches as Clove throws her knives at the five dummies' targets before her. She hits them all in the middle in less than 10 seconds, not surprising coming from District 2.

Katniss draws her attention back to her rope, and attempts to make a bowline knot. The minute after, she felt two taps on her shoulder. She turns her head to see the knife-thrower, Clove. Clove places herself on the free space next to where Katniss was sitting. She takes a second to take out her knife before she says anything.

"Busy, twelve?"

Katniss shook her head then looks back at her knot, carefully inserting the ropes in different spaces.

"Interesting choice of stations girl on fire, don't you want to get handy with a weapon?" Clove brushes the tip of her knife on her finger as she eyes Katniss.

"Not today." Katniss says showing no hint of emotion in her voice, her eyes sill focused on the rope in her hands.

Clove smirks "I see. So it's just knots for now?"

"I might try the snares."

"Fun. Why don't you try sword training? My partner Cato is quite good at it."

"No thanks."

Clove gets up and starts playing with the knots on display on the table in front of them, her back facing Katniss "Speaking of Cato, isn't he just terrifying? That look in his eyes, that just screams "I want to kill you, and kill you slowly." Doesn't that just scare you?" She says this in such a perplexing way that Katniss had to look at her to find out what her intentions were.

"I don't know. Should it?" Katniss puts a play in her words as well, just to see what Clove was getting at.

"Well, being scared does grant you a quicker and less painful death, in case you didn't know. But I'm not making any promises."

Katniss was puzzled. Was she trying to help her? Scare her maybe? Or was she trying to get her to admit something? "I don't think being scared will help me in this case, but thanks for the heads up." Katniss says with an edge of sarcasm then leaves to go look for Peeta. Clove just couldn't help but be slightly impressed, the girl presented herself to be truly fearless.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

From where he was standing, Cato could see Clove sharing a conversation with the fire girl. He was curious as to what they were talking about. Was Clove trying to befriend her? Does she want her to join their alliance? He wouldn't stand for it, cause he knew the second the countdown was finished in the arena, he'll be hunting down 12's tributes like a wolf. Cato took a few steps over to where Clove was, he didn't want her to be making some stupid decision on her own, but just then District 1's tribute girl stopped him in his tracks.

She stepped in front of him with a smug look on her face "Is your friend there trying to form an alliance with District 12? Is she an idiot or something?" She says as she points her chin to the two females conversing.

"If that's what she's planning on doing, she might be." Cato said while attempting to move forward, but the girl from 1 just wouldn't let him. He could easily topple her to the floor but he decided not to, since the game makers were watching, and rules are rules. Plus, he was slightly curious as to what the District 1 girl wanted with him.

"I'm Glimmer, a career, from District One." She offers up her hand for a shake.

Cato ignored her offer by crossing his arms against his chest "Cato from 2. What do you want?"

Glimmer pulls back her arm and starts playing with one of her braids "Marvel and I would like to join in on your alliance with the brunette over there. Marvel is good with the spear, and I could make with a bow. Think about it, it'll be quicker for us to kill off the other tributes."

"It also means that there'll be more careers to kill towards the end."

Glimmer smiles "Well…the more the merrier, right?"

Cato smirks at this. Normal for a psychotic killing machine anyway. "I'll think about it."

"You do that." Glimmer whispers as she walks pass him.

Cato wipes one of the corners of his lip with his thumb as he looked down. The thought of killing more people, people who can actually put up with a fight, intrigued him. It was risky, but very tempting.

"What did crayola face want?" Cato looked up to see his partner, Clove with her hands or her hips.

"Crayola face?"

"A nickname I made for the girl from 1, I always see her with too much makeup."

"Oh. She just wanted in on our partnership, along with her fellow male tribute. What about you? What did you want with the girl from twelve?"

"None of your business."

"As long as it isn't an idiotic alliance, I'm fine with it."

Clove scowls at him "I'm the one making idiotic alliances? You're the one who is considering teaming with 1! They are as dumb as a brick. And as if I'd ever invite 12 into our alliance. I want them dead just as much as you do."

"I think it would be wise. And don't worry, I promise to kill you last if it came down to the four of us." A sly grin crept to his face as Clove narrows her eyes at him.

"Don't get cocky with me." Clove said this, but they both knew he was right. She knew she was strong, but she also knew that Cato was stronger. She had already accepted her death, she just didn't want to be reminded of it. "Do whatever you want, just make sure those two morons can actually bring something to the plate."

"I'll cut off their heads if they don't."

Just then, the boy from District 12 was taking on the rope course. Clove and Cato almost burst in laughter as the blonde boy dropped to the ground, making a loud thud of a sound as his back meets the surface. The boy sees them, but pays little attention since from the looks of it, his leg was hurting. The minute later, the girl on fire approaches him, "Peeta, are you okay?" she asks. The boy nods his head and with the help of the fire girl, he gets up.

Cato looks away and rolls his eyes "They'll be an easy kill." He says to the brunette next to him.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss helps Peeta get off the ground and glares at the two careers from District 2 who carefully eyed them. Peeta looks over to where her eyes were. "Ignore them." He said. Katniss nods her head takes a few steps towards the snares with Peeta on her side.

"Fire girl, you take good care of your boyfriend now, yeah?" In the distance, Clove's voice rings with sarcasm. Katniss looks at the two careers again, her face showing no expression.

"Katniss don't-" Peeta starts.

"I'll do my best." She says this in response and the two careers' smug expression changes to a more surprised look. Katniss continues to walk towards the snares, which is placed across the room. _Far from them_, She thought.

Peeta follows "You didn't have to say that." He said.

"If I hadn't, they wouldn't have shut up."

Peeta wonders if he should be offended by this, but he shrugs it off and just nods his head.

On the way to the snare station, they see one of the peacekeepers trying to separate two men off of each other.

"You touch her again, and I'll kill you!" One of them yelled.

"Relax big guy, I was just having a little bit of fun. I told her to give it to me. She obviously didn't listen."

From afar, Katniss could see a young dark skinned girl with brown hair -she recognized as Rue- hiding behind one of the posts. Katniss figures that she's the girl the guy from 11 -who she now remembers is Thresh- was talking about.

Katniss snakes her way to the small girl, "Hey there Rue." Katniss kneels down so she could see her properly. "What happened here?"

She hesitates, but decides to tell her "The guy from District 1, he shoved me cause he wanted the spear in my hands. I would've given it, but I didn't hear him. It wasn't a big deal but Thresh got mad."

Katniss nods and gets up "I see." Then she pats Rue's head with a smile. She reminded her _so _much of Prim, it hurt to look her in the eye.

By that time the peacekeeper had finally relaxed the two men. Thresh comes over to Rue and tells her to follow him. He lifts his chin at Katniss and Peeta in thanks, then walks away with Rue by his side. Katniss dwells on the thought of Prim being shoved to the ground by someone twice her size. Her dearest sister, fall to the ground like she was nothing.

The second later, Katniss loses it. She charges at the District 1 male so quick that Peeta didn't have enough time to stop her. Katniss pushes the boy hard enough to make him take a few steps back.

"What the hell was that for, princess?" He scowls.

"Oh please, Marvel, can't you just stop getting into fights?" Glimmer rolls her eyes "Just get it over with."

Katniss could just feel the everyone's eyes on her, the tributes, the game makers, even the careers from District 2 who she thought she finally had gotten away from.

"I didn't do anything this time!" Marvel reasons.

Katniss calms herself down, "Save your actions for the games."

"Oh! So it's still about that girl from 11? What's your deal? It's not like she's your sister or anything."

As Marvel said this, Katniss sees Peeta by the corner of her eye as he slowly comes to realize her reasons for pushing him. "She might as well have been." With that, Katniss leaves the training area.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

It was night by this time. After training they had eaten lunch, the girl from twelve wasn't present then, but it's not like Cato cared. He and Clove just lazed in the room all afternoon. Now, she was playing with her knife as he was cracking his knuckles for show.

"Did you see her face? For a second there, she looked like she wanted to rip that guy apart just because of some unfortunate little girl."

"The girl probably reminded her of her sister."

"Right, I heard she volunteered in her place."

"You _heard_? Didn't you watch the replays of the reaping?"

"It's just a waste of time trying to observe the other tributes, they're all going to end up dead anyway." Cato gets up and heads to his room "I'm going to bed." Clove just nods without looking at him.

Cato lies on his bed and lets his thoughts wander. He thinks about the possibility of having District 1 as an ally. He thinks about him being crowned as victor and how all the people in Capitol would cheer him on. Then he thinks on ways to kill each and every tribute slowly and painfully.

Eventually, he drifts to sleep. He dreams about being in the arena, it was bloody as hell. Tributes lie dead on the ground and he somehow made himself believe that he killed them all. And now there's just one more before him, twelve's tribute girl, Katniss Everdeen.

He throws her to a tree and her back slams against it, making the knife in her hand fly away. Cato slowly approaches her like a predator about to devour its prey as she scrambles around in search for her melee.  
>The moment she spots the glint of the silver item, Cato charges at her. He grabs then pushes her throat, making her head slam against the tree behind her. Katniss tries to break free by pushing off his arms and kicking him while at it. Cato just laughs then looks at her in the eyes. She calms down and looked up at his eyes as well. It's only then when Cato's smirk fades. Her grey eyes look at his, he noticed that her eyes seem different from the blank, boring usual look that it reflected. <em>Fear<em>. She examined every aspect of his face as he did with hers, then she froze and Cato swore he could hear her heart beating. Fear resonates in her eyes and Cato can't help but feel like he had just been stabbed in the gut. He felt guilty. Guilty for hurting her. Guilty for having to kill her

"Cato, please." She starts to speak.

"Katniss," He whispers her name. Hesitatingly, he takes out his sword and drives it through her chest, quickly ending her life, "I'm sorry."

Cato wakes up. His eyes moving rapidly as his hands gripped the sheets. He lets go of the fabric then starts to tug at his hair. _What the hell was that?_ He thought. Why would he feel guilty about killing _her_? Why did he even hesitate? Questions kept flooding his head about what the dream meant, yet no answer came to light.

"I didn't expect that little show from you, Cato. And here I thought you despised the girl." Clove smirks as she looks down at her partner from the wall she was leaning on. "Very surprising."

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><p><strong>AN: Was it too long? Should I continue it? R&R, tell me what you think.  
><strong>I know that there's little Cato/Katniss interaction =( I'm sorry. But it's still the start of the story and there'll be lots of interaction as the story progresses. I can assure you that. **I hope I kept them in character. =)**


	2. No Threat

**A/N:** I'm sorry this chapter took so long. You see, I am on a 2 week vacation. It started 4 days ago, a few hours after I posted the first chapter. What sucks is that in this place we are staying, (not a hotel or a motel, it's a rented house) there's no internet! So I try to go to places with wifi. I would've uploaded it sooner but I had a problem with fanfiction. I couldn't log in. So I'm really sorry. It'll probably be the same for the next few days. SORRY.

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><p><strong>The Price of Winning<br>****Chapter 2, No Threat**

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><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss sits on the her chair looking down as Effie circled the dining table.  
>"Young lady, I think you should learn some manners!"<p>

"Relax, she just lost her temper." Haymitch says as he pours some liquor in his teacup, "Unlike you darling, _people_ lose their temper."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

Aside from Haymitch and Effie, everyone started to snicker. Even the avoxes try to hide their smiles.

"But sweetheart, don't do that again. You just made yourself the careers' number one target." Haymitch says to Katniss.

"Wasn't I already?" Katniss questions with a hint of sarcasm.

"Maybe. But don't try to push them over again, or their arrogant selves might kill you before you even get to the arena."

Katniss debates on whether she should say something about how the careers wouldn't do such an idiotic thing that could get them disqualified, especially since they've been training for this ever since they could walk. But she decides to keep quiet and nod her head.

After breakfast, Katniss heads to her room to change into her training uniform. She puts it on before she hears a knock on the door and opens it. She finds Peeta, already dressed for training.

"Can I come in?" He asks.

"Sure." Katniss moves to the side for the blonde boy enter.

He sits on the bed and looks her in the eye, "What do you think? About all of this?"

"What do you mean?"

"About the games, your sister, the Capitol, President Snow, the careers. Everything. What do you think about it?"

"Why are you asking me this?"

"Cause I want to know your opinion."

"I don't know. What do you think about it?"

The two knew about the cameras everywhere, so they try as much as possible to censor themselves.

"I don't know either. I just have this weird feeling that the people in charge hate us just as much as the careers do." Peeta says.

"What made you think that?" Katniss asks.

"It's just a feeling."

"Well, I guess we're going to have to find out."

"You might. I don't think I'll live to see the day."

Katniss stays silent for moment. She wonders whether the boy with the bread is just playing her, or if he actually means what he had just said. Though she doesn't plan to just stand around if he ever comes for her at the arena. "Maybe you will. You just never know."

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

"What the hell are you doing here?" Cato barks at Clove.

"I was about to call you for breakfast but then I walked in on a _very_ interesting sight and decided to watch you a bit longer instead. Seriously Cato, whispering Katniss' name out loud? Tugging on the sheets? I can only imagine what was going on in that big head of yours."

Cato turns red, because of anger of course…..nothing else. "Fuck you and your dirty mind. I was killing the girl. Why would I ever even dream about bullshit like that?"

"Killing her? Then why'd you apologize? -yes you said that out loud too." Clove raises a brow, "I'd expect you to be proud after a kill, not _sorry_."

Cato takes a moment before saying something back, "You know what? Forget it. Believe whatever you want." He gets up and puts on a shirt before leaving the room.

Clove smirks as she follows behind him. "Don't worry. It'll be our little secret."

"Screw you. I just want the girl dead."

"Don't you want her in your bed instead?"

Cato turns and grabs her wrist, tightening his grip by the second, "Shut up. It wasn't like that, okay? If you say one more thing about it, I might break my promise about killing you last."

"Geez, Cato." Clove says, unfazed by his actions, "I didn't think you'd take it so personally. Can't you take a joke?"

Cato ignores her and lets her go. He didn't care anymore. He knew that if he kept on going against her, he would just end up angrier than he already was. So he decides to shut up and walk away. It was almost time for training anyway. He could take out all his anger on the dummies there.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss decides to learn more about edible plants, so she chooses that station for the hour while Peeta was trying the camouflage station on the opposite side. She familiarizes herself with the different colors, sizes, textures and shapes of the plants. It doesn't take long for her to catch on since she already knew about most of them from when she was hunting with Gale. Gale. She thought. She misses him and being in the woods as well, the only place where she could just forget everything and smile a real smile.

"Isn't katniss an edible plant?"

The decisive voice from behind, drives her away from her thoughts. Katniss turns to find the tall man she recently knew as Marvel. Seeing his face enraged her, but she kept herself composed, "Yes, it is." she answers.

"Good. I was thinking of giving it to Cato. You know? For him to eat." He smirks, "I'm sure he'll love it…you know what else princess? Just a few minutes ago we became allies. We from 1 and those from 2, and I think each one of us has a personal grudge against you. Some advice? Start training with weapons, because that's the only way you can get rid of us. Heat, Hunger or anything like that, won't do a thing."

"I know." Katniss says, "I'm just hoping that someone else will get to you before I have to."

"Oh, but I think Cato would like to trade a few blows with you before that."

"You think?"

Marvel laughs, "I would bet on it."

Katniss' eyes drift to the right, only to see the other three allied careers looking at them.

Marvel turns around to where Katniss was looking at, "I think I better go. And just so you know, if ever I get the chance, I'll be nice when I kill you." He takes a few steps before stopping to listen to what the fire princess had to say.

"I won't be betting on that." Katniss could just feel an amused smile forming on Marvel's face as he heads back to his pack. Out of curiosity, she decides to keep an eye on them for a little while, just in case she could learn something from whatever there is to learn from them.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

"What the heck is he doing?" Clove points to Marvel who at that time, was still speaking with the fire girl. If it weren't for Cato, she wouldn't have given a care about what Marvel was doing. But now that they're allies, well, she had to.

Cato and Glimmer look to where Clove pointed.

"God! Marvel is such a flirt." Glimmer rolls her eyes as she says this.

"Wait, he's _flirting_?" Clove's eyes slightly widen.

"By the looks of it, yes."

Clove starts to burst into laughter, "Is he crazy? Does he honestly think she would fall for a career like himself? I bet she just wants to get away from him as soon as possible." She looks at the boy next to her, "No offense, Cato."

Cato scowls. He was fortunate enough to have Glimmer busy eyeing the fire girl that she couldn't hear anything Clove had just said. Clove was just having too much fun.

"What was _that_? Fire princess got you good?" Glimmer says as Marvel joined them.

"What? You think I was trying to get at her?" he asks as if it wasn't already that obvious.

"No. I _know_ you were."

"Well, sorry to burst your bubble Glimmer but I just wanted to know a little bit about her. We do have to kill her after all. And she's not giving as much knowledge on her skills here in training."

"Oh please. Stop making excuses."

Cato was too deep in thought to hear what Marvel had said next, but it couldn't have been that important, so he didn't really care. Though, Marvel was right about not knowing what skills the fire girl had up her sleeve. Maybe she was handy in using a knife? _After all, that was the weapon she used in the dream I had -What the hell is wrong with me?_ He thought. Surely the dream was just a bunch of lies set in motion. He knew this.

Cato started to curse at himself when images of his dream start flashing through his mind like a slideshow. Images of how he was only inches away from her face. Of how his smirk had faded when he looked in her eyes. And how he felt sorry for having to drive a sword through her. _At least I killed her in the end,_ He thought.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt a pair of eyes on him. He turned his head to the right and finds the fire princess with a blank usual look on her face. So Marvel thinks they need to know more about her, to kill her? No, they don't. She'd probably already be dead during the bloodbath by the Cornucopia. He didn't need to waste more time on her. He absent-mindedly smiles at the thought of this. Marvel just overestimated the fire princess, there's nothing to worry about. In fact, she should be the one worrying about them. They are the careers after all.

Clove stares at him, as if analyzing the thoughts running in his head. "You seem happy." She states, but it was more of a question than a statement.

Cato looks at her, "Something like that." then he smirks as he took one last look at the infamous, Katniss Everdeen.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

The boy from 2 smiles. He _smiles_. A million of questions start to flood Katniss' mind. _Why is he smiling? What was he thinking? Does it have something to do with me? Did he finally realize that I want nothing to do with them?_ She wondered. So much questions. Questions that probably won't have any answers.

"Hey. Let's get lunch?" Peeta asks from behind, "Or do you want to skip it today too?"

_Lunch? Already?_ Katniss thought. Today's training seemed a lot quicker than yesterday. But it was probably just in her head. "When did you get here?" Katniss asks, completely ignoring his question.

"A few seconds ago. Why does it matter?"

"It doesn't. So…lunch?"

"Yeah." Peeta grins, showing off his pearly white teeth as he leads them both to the Lunchroom.

The two were one of the first 6 who entered the Lunchroom. When Katniss stepped in, she was awestruck. Tables filled with different gourmet classics and bowls of punch stretch from one side to the other. The smell of smoke coming from the meat courses tickled her nostrils.

"I take it that you're regretting that you skipped lunch yesterday?" Peeta asks with a smug look drawn on his face.

Katniss laughs. She laughs. For the very first time since the day of the reaping. And this makes Peeta laugh too.

They take their seats by one of the tables placed before the food.

"Do you want me to pick your meal?" Peeta offers.

"If you don't mind, I guess." Normally, she would've done it on her own but she was just not feeling well. Thoughts of her mother, Prim and Gale. Heck, even the thought of Buttercup made her eyes teary. And the more she dwells on the thought, the more she realizes how real the games are her little chances of winning, if she even had any. "You've tasted the food, I'm sure you know what's good."

"In fact, I do." Peeta gives her a smile before taking off to the buffet of delicious, mouth-watering food that makes Katniss' stomach rumble even if she wasn't that hungry.

For a moment, Katniss just sits there and thinks. She thinks about home, and hunting in the wilderness with Gale. Then she thinks about Prim and how she would've been the one here, the one who would've been transported to the Capitol in a train, the one who would've been fixed, and prettied up, the one who would've been envied by the other tributes because of her performance in the chariots, the one who would've been eating gourmet food, and the would've had to participate in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Then her throat starts to hurt. She feels like crying and Peeta hasn't comeback yet. So she decides to head to the comfort room for a little while to cool off.

When Katniss gets there, she washes off her face and looks at herself in the mirror. She didn't at all looked like what she felt. A part of her was glad it didn't, and a part of her wasn't. Peeta was probably back to the table, so she starts to make her way to the door. She swung the door halfway before she heard a loud thud when she felt like it hit something. Katniss closes the door shut after she gets out and looks at whatever thing she hit. Then she realizes it wasn't something, it was someone. Why did the comfort room have too be so close by the entrance?

"Cato?" She questions.

"Well look who it is, it's the fire princess." Glimmer, who was behind Cato, says.

"Whatever, I'm gonna go get some food. Anyone care to join me?" Clove asks.

"I will. I'm starving." Marvel follows Clove to get some food, leaving Cato, Glimmer and Katniss close by the entrance.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that." Katniss apologizes.

"Yeah sure. Okay." Cato says as he starts to leave.

Glimmer and Katniss share similar confused looks as he says this.

"That's it? You're just gonna leave her with that?" Glimmer questions.

"Yeah. Might as well be nice to the girl before she's gone." He says.

"Are you saying that I'm going to die in the arena?" Katniss jumps in with a pissed off look on her face making the blonde career pause.

Cato turns around to look at Katniss, "It's not like you stand a chance."

"And what makes you think _you_ do?" She fires back.

"Are you joking?" Glimmer rolls her eyes and laughs as she says this

"No I'm not. So answer my question, Cato." Katniss says, eyes still glued on the blonde male career.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

Every time Katniss says his name he feels a tiny tingle run down his spine. And he didn't like it one bit. It just made him pissed off, so much for not letting her in his mind.

"Because I have trained for this all my life. I know what it's like to kill. It's one of the only things I know how to do." he answers, "Have you ever killed someone?"

"Knowing how to is all I need to win this." She says.

Cato stays silent for a moment. _This girl…_He thought. "Not if I get you first." He signals for Glimmer to follow him and they join Clove and Marvel at their table.

_May the odds be ever in your favor princess._ Cato thought,_ Tomorrow is when we see how strong you are.  
><em>

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **In case you're wondering. Yes! Tomorrow is the private sessions wherein Cato finds out that Katniss got an 11. **I am sorry** **if Glimmer or Marvel character wasn't how you imagined it**. But since their character really wasn't that obvious in the book or in the movie, I had to just write how I thought of them. **And as for Cato, I know his character really isn't "all that" in this chapter, but it gets better I hope.** =)


	3. Unfortunate Events

**A/N:** So there have been problems with the chapters. Sorry if you got e-mails about there being a third chapter even if it wasn't. But anyway here it is! **THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS SO FAR **they mean a lot to me. I will try to answer questions when I can but fanfiction is not cooperating with me so it will take a while. So go on, **READ, **and when you're finished **REVIEW. **=D

* * *

><p><strong>The Price of Winning<br>****Chapter 3, Unfortunate Events  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

By this time, Cato had already broken every brittle object and tipped off all the furniture placed around the 2nd floor.

"You done?" Clove asks with her hands resting on her hips.

"An eleven! How the hell was she able to score an eleven?" Cato yells as he throws one of the pillows that he found on the couch towards the wall. It must have been quite a throw since after it slammed against the wall, it had a small rip on its fabric.

The moment the number 11 flashed on the screen as the results of District Twelve's tribute girl Cato went crazy and destroyed every beautiful thing around him. He wondered how she got to impress the game makers so much when all she was learning from training was plants, snares and more stuff like that. _Did she give them a speech about everything she learned or something?_ He thought, _Nah, no matter how good the speech would've been, it couldn't have scored any higher than my sword wielding skills._

"How am I supposed to know?" Clove asks

"She must be enjoying herself. After what I said the other day? Fuck her!" He yells some more.

"Right….and I'm sure breaking every object around here will solve it." She says sarcastically, "It's probably just a mistake."

Cato starts to calm himself down, "A mistake? Yeah right. The Capitol doesn't make mistakes. They have too much pride in themselves to do something so shameful." Then he scowls, "Why are you so relaxed? Aren't you upset that she scored higher than us?"

"Oh of course I am. I hate her for it. But like I said, breaking everything, won't solve anything."

"So you're just gonna sit there and do what exactly?"

"The obvious. I'm going to kill her in the arena. Show them that she's nothing but a lost puppy."

Cato smirks at this, "Not if I beat you to it."

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

"That's amazing! You must have been brilliant."

"I always thought of you as someone with guts, sweetheart."

"You're lucky their opinion of you wasn't the other way around!"

"Katniss, great job."

All these people fawning over her like she's the queen just made Katniss dizzy. And with all these positive remarks she couldn't help but think of the negative side. Now the careers want her dead more than ever, if that was even possible.

"Thanks." was all Katniss said.

Haymitch nods then signals everyone to listen, "So, tomorrow night is the interview, the day after that, the games."

"So?"

"I think you should take a break for the morning."

"A break? Shouldn't we be practicing for the interviews?" Peeta asks.

"That'll be a waste of effort and time, 'cause I know in my heart that there is nothing we can do to make you better. And I mean that in a good way for you Peeta. In a bad way for Katniss over here."

"Thanks again." Katniss sarcastically says.

"Your welcome sweetheart. Now, let's get to bed." Haymitch says as he gets up from the couch and heads to his room, "Good night."

Cinna, Portia and Effie say good night and head to their rooms as well. Peeta and Katniss just sit on the couch and stare at the blank screen before them. Katniss was thinking about the interview._ How on earth am I going to pull it off? I have no idea how to make people like me._ She thought. Peeta was thinking about how close the games are. _Will I survive the first day? Should I be making allies?_ He wondered.

"So I guess they don't hate us so much. You know, the people in charge. If they did, they wouldn't have given you an eleven." Peeta says, breaking the silence.

"Possibly. But they could've given it for lots of other reasons. Maybe it's because they hate me so much that they made sure I'm the biggest threat around, making everyone want to kill me. Or maybe it's because the Capitol wanted it. Or if not that, maybe they just wanted to add some more drama." Katniss reasons.

"Or they just like you."

"Or they just like me." Katniss smiles at the blue eyed blonde. And he smiles back too.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss just sits on her bed and stares at the wall. What was she going to do today? Haymitch had given them a break for such a fail of a reason. He probably just wanted to get drunk and lay on his bed, the games were starting tomorrow after all. So she just sits there and wait for an idea to pop in her mind.

_Creek._ The sound of the door bought Katniss' attention. Peeta's blonde hair and blue eyes stick out of the tiny space in between the door. "Want to come with me?" He asks.

"Come where?" Katniss questions as she heads towards the door.

"Get a biscuit or two from the refreshments' table on the ground floor."

"I guess so. Nothing else to do anyway."

"Then let's grab a biscuit."

"Or two." She smiles.

"Maybe three." He smiles back. "Now come on." He nudges his head out the door, signaling for Katniss to come out.

Katniss follows Peeta out the door and they both step in the elevator heading downwards. Katniss pushes the ground floor button then the elevator starts moving.

12

.

11

.

10

.

9

.

8

.

7

.

6

.

5

.

4

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3

.

2

Peeta and Katniss exchange horrified looks as the elevator they were on stops on floor number 2. _Ding!_ As the elevator doors start to open, they look forward, only to see the doors sliding open to the 2nd floor's tribute occupants.

"Well this is unfortunate." Clove says as she looks at Cato.

Cato crosses his arms and looks at the two before him. Then he just steps in the elevator as Clove follows from behind.

Silence takes place in the small box. Katniss looks to the floor. Peeta looks at the career tributes. Clove plays with her knife. And Cato looks all around the place.

.

1

.

G (ground floor)

The elevator stops and the doors slide open. Katniss successfully pushes her way through the two tributes in front and out the door, but not before she heard Cato say "Nice score fire girl."

She looks at him, who was already by her side. "Thanks?"

"Whatever you did must have really been something."

Katniss doesn't say anything. Well, what could she have said? "Oh yeah you better watch out"? or maybe "No it's nothing special really."? She'd be either boasting or just being modest. Of course what she did must have been _something, _the Capitol wouldn't just give out an 11 for nothing.

"So what are you guys here for?" Peeta asks as if he knew that Katniss needed his help.

"We're taking a break from our interview practice. What about you blondie?" Clove asks.

"Refreshments." Peeta answers.

"Yup. That's what I meant by break." Clove says.

"Right." Peeta nods as he leads them all to the refreshments' table. He takes a cookie for Katniss and he takes a piece of bread for himself. Clove takes a bunch of chocolate truffles for herself and Cato. It's really neat how all these stuff are for free.

Katniss starts to nibble on the cookie she had. Keeping her eyes everywhere except for where the careers stood.

"So what was it that you did that impressed the game makers, Katniss?" Cato asks as he threw one truffle into his mouth.

Katniss spine tingles when he says her name. It sounded so cold and so..._hungry_. She doesn't look at him. She just didn't want to. She was worried that she might give in, and show her fear. His words just made her feel like he wanted to rip off her heart. He scared her. "Nothing too special." She says as she kept her eyes to one of the avoxes on the opposite side.

"So it's a secret isn't it?" Cato says as he reaches out for her hair and plays with it. "Must be really deadly then huh?"

"I don't think it's that much of a trouble." She says, her eyes still somewhere not on him. It was slightly true that her archer skills weren't that dangerous. If someone was too near and then tackles her, she'd be dead in a second.

"Okay." Cato bends down to her ear as he lets go of her hair, "I just hope I get to know all about it before you die." Then he turns around and says something to Clove.

Katniss was too light-headed at the moment to realize what was happening around her. She looks down at her hand and sees that she had crushed her cookie so hard that it had turned into crumbs. She threw the crumbs by the nearby trash bin then took a piece of hot bread. "Peeta, I think I'll just go back to the penthouse." She says as she starts towards the elevator.

"Wait, I'll come with you-"

"No, you can stay." She smiles.

"O-okay." Peeta returns her smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

Katniss always smiles whenever that blonde boy was around. Peeta was his name? It reminds Cato of bread for some reason. He watches as Katniss make her way back to the elevator, not looking away for one second.

"I bet you know how she got that eleven." Clove says as she looked to the blonde boy. This drew Cato's attention so he looks back at them.

Peeta looks at the two as they waited for him to say something. When they realized he wasn't going to say anything, Cato steps in.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"So what if I do? I'm not telling you and there's not really much of what you can do about it." Peeta says.

"Yes there is, an alliance." Clove says.

"An alliance?" Peeta and Cato simultaneously ask, there faces mirror each other's looks of shock.

"Yes. You don't have to tell us about her skills but help us find the fire princess in the arena, and we'll kill you last."

"Are you sure about this Clove?" Cato asks.

"Definitely. So what do you say Peeta?"

"I-I think I have to go." Peeta says as he starts to walk to the elevator.

"Be sure to think about it." Clove says as he leaves.

Cato waits until Peeta is out of the room completely before he says something, "Do we really need him to find her?"

"Yes. We both know that she's going to make it out of the Cornucopia, and we'll need him to hunt her down. We can easily find her on our own. But with him, it'll be quicker."

Cato smirks, "I like the way you think."

"Like I said, I want her dead just as much as you do." Clove gives him a sweet yet cunning smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss looked at herself in the mirror. Her outfit was amazing. The sequins of the dress illuminated its color. She looked like a real princess, and on stage she would be once again on fire.

Cinna makes a circling movement with his finger, a signal they both agreed on so that Katniss would know when to start spinning. Katniss makes a few turns before fire starts on her dress' tail. It was truly beautiful. When she stops spinning, she rests one of her hands against the wall to keep her balance.

"Cinna, this is amazing but, how am I supposed to make people like me? I can't shine like this dress does!" Katniss says as she puts her hands on her hips.

"I'm sure you'll do great." Cinna says as he puts his hands on her shoulders.

"And if I don't?"

"Just say what's on your mind. Like you always do when you're with me."

Katniss lazily nods as Cinna leads them outside.

They make their way to the line. Katniss takes her place behind Thresh and in front of Peeta. Peeta looks good, Portia did a great job on making him look charming. _He's probably going to do so well, _Katniss thought.

"Peeta," She turns to looks at him. He seemed rather _off _today. After he asked for his last day of training to be done privately, he just seemed distant. It probably had something to do with her.

"Yeah?" Peeta smiles. "Katniss, what's wrong?" he asks as he noticed Katniss' confused and pained look.

"Nothing. It's just- did something happen yesterday? After I left?" She asks.

"N-No. What made you think that?"

"Nothing. It's just that you seem...different"

"Different?"

Katniss nods.

"I guess it's just because of the games. It has really been a bother, knowing that it'll be starting tomorrow."

"Oh." _Maybe it's just that. Maybe he is just worried about the games, who wouldn't be? Aside from the careers. _She thought.

The flash of the screen before her gets her attention. She looks up and sees Ceasar Flickerman introducing District One's Glimmer, she seemed extremely...happy, for some reason. Next up was Marvel, throughout the interview he acted confident, almost cocky. Then there was Clove, Ceasar asked her about her time at the Capitol, and how different it was from her district. Then, he asked about her family. She told him about how she wants to make her father the proudest man around since he was the one who convinced her to become a career.

After Clove, it was Cato's turn. To Katniss, he seemed surprisingly human. He wore a smile and talked a lot about his time as a career. His smile was still on when Ceasar had asked him about his family. Katniss felt dizzy when he finished his answer, he seemed almost too human. He said something about his family supporting his decision to volunteer and that they're all about bringing pride to their district just like he is. Katniss felt uncomfortable when Ceasar asked him about all the females who had crushes on him. _Seriously, if he had anyone special, how could that person even stand Cato and his blood-thirsty eyes? _She wondered. When Ceasar asked Cato if he had ever considered one of the tributes as a threat, that's when his smile faded.

"A threat?" Cato asked.

"Yes. A threat. Anyone in mind?" Ceasar pushed.

"No, no one really."

"Oh come on now, are you sure? What about the girl from your district, Clove? She seems like trouble."

"No. I know her, and I also know how to get rid of her."

"Then perhaps Marvel? He seems confident he can win."

"Are you joking?"

"The big guy, Thresh from eleven?"

"Never really thought about it."

"Okay, then what about the girl on fire, Katniss? She got a score of eleven, one point higher than your score, surely you have considered her as a threat right?"

Cato stays silent for a moment as the crowd grows more curious of his answer, "I don't even know how she got the 11, so I wouldn't consider her as that much of a threat. But I do want to be able to kill her first before anyone else." Then he smirks. And this makes the crowd goes crazy. It's just like when Finnick Odair had turned 18. Yes, for a second, it was _that _crazy.

"Thank you for your time. Ladies and Gentlemen, Cato of District 2!"

Backstage Katniss was frozen. The people of the Capitol are just like him, like the careers. He has just told them that he wanted to kill her and all they were reacting to was his smirk. His tiny little sly smirk that Katniss knows just a bit too well.

"I can't believe them." Peeta whispers from behind.

"It's not that surprising. These are the people who get excited for every Hunger Game and watch in anticipation as children get killed, after all." Katniss whispers back.

"But still..."

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

Cato was pissed off. First he was asked this weird question about girls. Then he is asked if he thought of anyone as a threat. Does it look like he thinks of anyone as a threat? No. He _is _the threat. So what if Katniss Everdeen got a higher score than he did? No one knows what happened in there. The score is just the game makers' opinion alone. And lastly, he has to sit here and watch the interviews until every single tribute is finished. Probably a small price to pay before the games tomorrow.

Cato does what he does when sitting on a couch in front of a screen that's either off, or is showing something boring, he is cracking his knuckles. Glimmer is beside him. He often notices her taking a few subtle glances at him. But he lets it be. Clove is currently talking about the offer they gave to Peeta. Seems like they all agree on the idea, so he doesn't really care about anything she is saying already. Cato just stares at the screen, hearing the interviews, not really listening to them. He is busy thinking, so it's not that difficult to shut out everything else around him.

He took his time on thinking about the possible things that could happen in the arena. Like if he ran into the guy from eleven, or if he couldn't find any swords at the Cornucopia. He thought about the landscape of the arena. If it was water, he'd be okay, but that would mean that most of the tributes would drown and just die. And he didn't want that. He thought about Peeta, if he'd decline the offer, and if he should just kill him then and there. Lastly, he thought about Katniss, about when he was going to kill her and how.

He cursed at himself as he looked back at the screen. He really did take that long thinking since Ceasar was already interviewing District 12's Katniss Everdeen. It's funny how she suddenly popped up the moment he thought about her.

"Look at her all gussied up. She looks like a real princess now doesn't she, Marvel?" Glimmer says as she looked at Marvel.

"I already told you I'm not into her. Not after that shove she gave me 3 days ago." Marvel snarls while trying to defend himself.

"Oh fine, fine. You're no fun." Glimmer sticks out her tongue at her partner, and he does the same.

"God you guys are like children. Just watch will you?" Clove says in an annoyed tone.

Cato listens to the first interview he has listened to after his. He had to admit, he was curious as to what her interview would turn out like. It could be just as annoying as his, or it could be as boring as the one of District 11's male. I mean seriously? "Yes." "No." "Not sure." "I guess." Yeah, sure, everyone will be so interested in that.

After Ceasar introduces Katniss as the girl on fire, he asks about her entrance during the chariots. She seemed oddly innocent when she speaks. It's like she doesn't know why she's there or what she's saying. Yet the Capitol loves it. _Idiots, _Cato thought. Then she gets up and starts twirling for around for half a minute as fire starts at her dress' tail, playing up the girl on fire skit.

"She's making me feel dizzy." Glimmer states.

"You're not the only one." Clove says.

Ceasar then asks her about her sister. She takes up all the little time left by talking about her. As a result, Ceasar wasn't able to get anymore information out of her. _So much for that, _Cato thought. He watches her 'til the moment she leaves then goes back into his thinking mode.

This time he only had a minute to muse. "Well, there is someone I have liked since, forever." When he heard Peeta's voice say these words, his attention was drawn back to the screen.

He listened to Peeta talk about his crush and Ceasar trying to give him "tips" at getting whoever the girl is. He said by winning, he could get her. _Yeah right as if that's ever going to happen, _Cato thought. But Peeta says winning wasn't going to help. _Of course it will, but sadly, you have no chance of winning. _Cato thought. Then Ceasar asks why, and blah blah blah. Cato was about to drive his attention away from the screen until Peeta, on national television said, "Because...she came here with me."

It took a moment before Cato could make sense of the blue-eyed boy's words. But when he did, he didn't say a thing. A part of him didn't really care, but a part of him did. And he's just sitting there staring at the now-blank screen and wondering why.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope it was at least okay. **I know this was late but at least it's out now. Hopefully the next chapter will be out sooner. But **please review** it always makes my day when I read them especially if they're nice. **Thank you in advanced and I hope I made no errors here.**


	4. Wishful Thinking

**A/N:** Hey there guys! **LOVING THE REVIEWS. **I know it's late, again TT_TT but it's difficult for me to put in writing when I have, chef classes, soccer camp meetings, and design classes this month. I try to write. I really do. But for now, let's just all enjoy the story? **I hope it reaches your expectations. (CLOVE & PEETA's Pov's are just there to add more spice to the story or...at least I think it does.)**

* * *

><p><strong>The Price of Winning<br>Chapter 4, Wishful Thinking  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Peeta<strong>

Ceasar leads Peeta backstage then closes the show. Backstage, the second Peeta's eyes land on Katniss, she pushes him to the wall and makes sure he stays there.

"What the hell was that?" She yelled.

Peeta said nothing.

"Here I was thinking you hated me. And now you're saying you've got a crush on me?" she yells some more.

"Katniss," Haymitch successfully pulls her away from Peeta and grips her tight "He did you a favor."

"A favor? Are you joking?" she says as she tries to pull away.

"Star-crossed lovers of District 12, that'll earn you some sponsors."

"Cinna's designs earned us enough sponsors." she says.

"In your situation, you'll never have enough sponsors, sweetheart."

Katniss sighs, "Do we really need more?"

"I wish we didn't. But you will always need more, it's your life that's hanging on a thread, Katniss."

"Fine." She wobbles her way out of Haymitch's grip and heads to the elevator with Cinna, not once looking at Peeta.

"You okay kid?" Haymitch asks Peeta as he pats his back.

"Yeah." Peeta looks to the left and sees Cato smirking at him. "I think you should go talk to Katniss. You know, convince her to not go psycho and stuff." he says.

"You're joking, right? That girl is one second away from pulling out my eyes from it's sockets."

"Just try? I'm asking you nicely."

With a sigh, Haymitch pats Peeta's back once more, and goes to the elevator.

Peeta turns towards the District Two male tribute. Cato's smirk is still on but he turned around facing his partner, Clove. Peeta hesitatingly walks toward two's tributes. He taps Cato's back.

Cato faces him with a smirk, and Clove does the same. "The Capitol loved your confession, loverboy." Clove says.

"Too bad your princess didn't." Cato says, "So, you want in on the alliance now?"

It takes a long time for Peeta to say his answer, but eventually he does. "Yes."

Clove smiles and Cato starts to laugh, "I have to say, I thank Katniss for how she reacted. Otherwise, you'd have probably said no."

Peeta gives them a smile that just screams of guilt, "Yeah."

"Don't be like that loverboy, she'll pay for hurting your feelings." Clove playfully says.

Peeta just smiles. He had doubts about his plan._ How on earth am I going to drive them away from Katniss without them knowing?_ He thought. He guessed that if he'd join forces with the careers he could buy Katniss some time or even _save_ her if they happened to come across each other. But he'll do his best to keep them away from her before that. All he had to do is play along 'til the right moment.

* * *

><p><strong>Clove<strong>

"We'll see you tomorrow loverboy." Clove smirks.

"Don't get yourself killed before the hunt." Cato says.

With that, the District 2 tributes head to the elevator, leaving Peeta on his own.

Clove was all smiley about getting to kill Katniss Everdeen. She hated her. For her pretty little clothes and her innocent pale face. She hated the fact that she was one of the poorest of the poor and one of the least experienced of the inexperienced but was still able to score higher than her. A career, showed up by a District 12 rat. Now thanks to Peeta, she has the chance to prove to the Capitol that _she_ was the superior female, before Cato kills her and becomes the victor. At least she'd be able to prove that much before her life ends. Then Clove's smile faded.

"Cato?" She calls.

"What?" He asks.

"Who gets to do it?"

"Do what?"

"Extinguish the princess' fire." She playfully says.

Cato takes a moment to think before he says something, "I have to."

"I want to."

"Look, I wanted her dead the moment I saw her on her chariot. I get to kill her."

"She'll be dead alright. But by my hands. I'll kill her."

"No you don't understand-"

"No! You're the one who doesn't understand." She yells, "She has no training. She didn't have to go through the suffers of being a career. She had no one thinking highly of her, no one to disappoint. I did. Yet she somehow made everyone think she's better than me, more superior. Our District will be ashamed of me. I just want District 2 to be proud of me before I-"

"She getting in my head." Cato interrupts.

"What?" Clove asks.

"Katniss? She's been messing up my mind."

"Are you saying that you like-"

"No. Of course not. I meant that she's pissing me off." He sighs, "I just need to kill her, it'll clear things up."

"Are you crazy? You want to kill her just so you can calm down?" Clove asks.

"She's annoying the hell out of me. I just want her dead. That's it, just dead."

After what seemed like an hour to them, the elevator doors finally slide open.

"You know what? Never mind, kill her if you want to. I don't care." Cato walks out of the elevator and heads to his room, slamming his door when he's in.

Clove just sits on the couch and plays with her knife as she muses.

_I can still win this. Cato's guard is low. Katniss Everdeen is currently occupying his messed up mind. I can win this._ She smiles._ I love you Cato, you've been quite a friend over the years in training. But I'm going back home no matter what, and you can't stop me._

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

It was already morning. Today, the games start.

Katniss knocks on Peeta's room. Everything was fine between them after their talk last night on the roof, Peeta always had a way with words. "Peeta?" she called.

"Yeah?" His voice sounded nervous and afraid. Katniss guessed that even Peeta couldn't pretend that he was prepared for the games. "I'm going to train before we have to go. Do you want to come?"

"No thanks. I'm good." he says.

"Okay." Katniss heads to the training center in a simple white shirt and a pair of black capris pants. She only had 2 hours before the prep time for the games, so she had to make the most of it. The games is almost starting and she wished it wouldn't. She even thought of the possibility of it being delayed because of some foreign attack or something. But that was just wishful thinking.

When she reaches the place, she starts to make her way to the bows and arrows. She runs her hands through it and breathes in. She was about to take a pair before she heard a thrashing sound. She followed the sound, silently walking towards it. She froze in her steps when she saw Cato, running his swords through the dummies and giving them a few kicks here and there. She swore her heart stopped when he noticed her and placed his hungry blue-colored eyes on her face.

"Katniss," He smirked then slowly approaches her with his sword in hand.

She doesn't say anything or do anything. She didn't show fear, but she wasn't showing braveness either. She just stood in her place, motionless. After all, she was alone in a room full of weapons with a career.

"I really want to kill you, you know that." He says, only inches away from her face.

Katniss still doesn't say anything, she just looks him in the eyes.

"Good thing the games start today, or I might have killed you by now."

Being snapped back in reality, Katniss takes a step back, "Why?"

"What do you mean, why?"

"Is it just because I scored higher than you and might have stole some of your sponsors?"

"Oh, you mean why I want to kill you? Yes, that's exactly why. You put me in a very bad place, princess. And I want you to pay, that's all." Cato says as he takes a step forward, leading Katniss to the wall.

"What are you doing?" She asks.

"Doing what you did to me, except, physically. I'm putting you in a place where you don't want to be in."

"Back off." She presses her hand on his chest in attempt to push him away.

"I hate to admit it, but you were also this difficult to push away princess."

"Stop calling me that. And just stay away!" Katniss struggles to push him away.

Cato bends down to whisper in her ear, "With the help of your lover, you'll be dead in the arena." Then he lets her go.

"What?" Katniss didn't get what he was saying. "You mean Peeta? What are you talking about, he'd never help you."

"Oh? Then why did he say he would?" Cato asks teasingly.

"H-he didn't."

Cato laughs, "Go ask him yourself princess," He says as he heads towards the elevator. "See you in the arena."

_He wouldn't do that_, She thought. _Peeta would never help them, even if he hated me, he would never. Would he? _Katniss once did think that he was just playing with her so he could kill her in the arena, but that was just the beginning. She couldn't have been right before, could she?

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

That ought to have dumbfounded her. By this point Cato would just do about anything to break her since he couldn't kill her now. Honestly, he blames District Twelve's pink-haired escort for all of this. If she hadn't pulled out Katniss' sister's name. The girl wouldn't have volunteered and he wouldn't be in the mental state he is in now. It would've been just fine. He would have been spending most of his time thinking on how to kill off the big guy named Thresh, and he and Clove wouldn't have been fighting over Katniss' head. It would've been just fine. But with her around, everything is just so complicated. And he still has to find out what got her that 11. Heck, she's probably doing whatever she did right now. He'd go back, but he promised his mentors that he'd be back in time before prep. Otherwise they'd kick his ass. Not that he was afraid.

When he gets to the second floor, Clove is already zipped up. Their assigned clothing didn't seem like much trouble, so Cato was able to easily put it on.

"Cato," Clove says, "I hope yesterday didn't make you out for my ass. I just have issues, just like you do, with the fire princess."

"Shut up."

"At least we know that she'll be dead. I'm not one to disappoint."

"Let's head to the hovercraft guys," One of their mentors said, "It's time."

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

After they put in everyone's trackers, the hovercraft rises to the air. Cato was bored for the most part of the ride. So he just silently observed each and everyone of the other tributes, since he never did before. Though, most of them looked away when they saw his eyes on them. They were clearly afraid of him, but Cato liked it that way. He took occasional glances at Katniss, wondering if she was able to ask Peeta about the alliance and wondering what's going through her head, since all she does is look down at her lap.

When they arrive in some kind of underground metallic barricade, they are ushered into separate areas and rushed into different rooms. When Cato enters his, he doesn't find much except for a closet, a table and the tube that's supposed to bring them up the arena. His stylist didn't do much except throw him his jacket and wish him good luck. Cato steps in the tube and wait for the last 20 seconds before they are brought up.

After a while, the circle that his feet stand on starts to rise and light starts to shine in his eyes. When he is in open air, he doesn't see anything at first except a white blinding light. But when his vision clears, he sees the golden Cornucopia, packed with weapons. He smiles when he sees this. He corrects his stance and wait as the countdown is on 0. He looks at Clove and sees her in the same position as he. She notices him and gives him a cunning smile. When he turns his face back, the countdown was almost over. Cato kept his eyes glued on the hologram on the Cornucopia. Everything goes silent and he feels his adrenaline pumping. This was going to be great.

10

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9

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8

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7

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6

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5

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4

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3

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2

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1

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0

Everyone starts to run. Blood already splatters on the grass and screams echo all around. The 74th Hunger Games has started.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

Katniss dashes as soon as she realizes that the countdown has ended. She runs towards Peeta. It's not the wises thing to do after what happened during prep time, but she feels like she has to do it. She has to reason with Peeta.

_Katniss dashes in the room, "Peeta?" She looks around for the baker's son. "Peeta!" She barges into the blue-eyed boy's room._

_"Katniss? What's wrong?" He asks._

_"Is it true? You're going to help the careers find me in the arena?" Katniss knew this was probably one of the stupidest things she has ever done. Confronting an enemy is not exactly a brilliant plan._

_"It's not what you think-"_

_"Oh really?"_

_"Yes! Do you really think that I would let anyone kill you? Katniss, I wouldn't do that even if it meant that my life could be saved."_

_Katniss stays silent. She felt awkward. She was never good with these "intimate" moments in life. The closest she's ever been intimate with a boy was when she was with Gale, but even that wasn't this awkward. "Then why did Cato say you did?" she asks, using all her effort to act normal._

_"I said so, but I had different plans. I was going to deceive them. I was going to keep them away instead of leading them to you."_

_"What? Peeta, You're crazy!"_

_"So you're mad either way. I don't get you."_

_"They'll kill you if they find out, you idiot!"_

_"I'm going to die even if I don't do it. At least this way, I can help you before I do."_

_"No. Don't."_

_"You can't change my mind Katniss. I'm doing it."_

The bloodbath was happening before Katniss' innocent grey eyes. Everything was happening so fast and she felt hazy. At one point, she just stood there in shock. But she was able to regain her state of mind before anything bad was able to happen. She ran as fast as she could to the back of the Cornucopia. When she gets there, she sits, leaning her back on the metallic surface of the weapon house. She closes her eyes for a moment. Her heart beats loud as pictures of the bloodshed flashes through her mind. To think that last night, these bunch of tributes were just smiling in front of a cheering crowd.

Katniss wanted to run, far far away. Maybe she should have, maybe she should have gone with Gale and just disappear from their cursed country. But she knew better than to think wishfully. But the moment she opened her eyes, all she wanted was for that wish to come true.

"Hey there princess, having a little break?" Cato's ice cold voice echoes through Katniss' ears.

"C-Cato?"

"Yup, that's me. I didn't think it would be this easy to find you Katniss. I guess I was wrong."

Katniss' heart almost stopped completely when she sees something glisten near his hand.

A sword.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: GOOD? BAD? OKAY? REVIEW?** I hope this is fine with you. I hope the story is still as good as you thought it was or better or something. One question, **IF YOU COULD ADD ANOTHER PAIR IN THIS STORY, WHICH PAIR WOULD IT BE? **I have been thinking about this. If I do pursue this idea, there will still be more Cato/Katniss time of course. So don't worry. Actually, there will be a lot of scenes with both of them in it in the next few chapters, so **KEEP READING. ;)**


	5. Confronted Guilt

**A/N:** It's here! I got a lot of comments about the cliffhanger, **I hope I didn't disappoint. This is a long chapter. **Reviews are amazing. **You people are the best. Keep in mind that I'm new at this. ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>The Price of Winning<br>Chapter 5, Confronted Guilt  
><strong>

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

"Wait- please don't." Katniss puts her hand up. Katniss wasn't herself. Her mind was still digesting what she had just witnessed. She had mistaken humans for animals. It's just impossible that that much blood could be shed by choice.

"Wait? I've been waiting for so long now, princess. It's time I get what I want." Cato says.

"You killed them. I saw you." She says like she never thought he would actually do it.

"Yeah, so what? It's not a surprise is it?"

"N-no but, don't you feel-"

"What? Regret? Remorse? Guilt? Nope. Not at all."

Katniss froze. She felt sweat running down her forehead and back. The cool metal she leans on, sadly, not helping. She still heard screams here and there. She was still taking everything in.

"I shouldn't be talking to you. I should be killing you." Cato says as he raises his sword.

Katniss' eyes widened, but she shifted her stance, ready to dodge anything that might lash at her. She was still in shock with everything. But when she saw the glint of his sword, only one thing came to mind. Prim.

Cato tightened his grip on the sword and lashed it through Katniss. Or at least, he was going to. But Clove gripped and held back his hand before anything could happen.

"What the hell?" Cato says.

"What is wrong with you?" Clove asks.

"What is wrong with me?" Cato pulls away his hand from her grip, "I was about to kill her!"

"Yeah, exactly. You were about to kill her, when we both agreed that I would!"

"I never agreed on it. I just said I didn't care." Cato says, "Would you rather I let her go?"

"I don't care as long as I get to kill her."

Cato and Clove both look down at Katniss who has been staring at them all this time. Cato gives her a sly smile as he pulls her up. Katniss leans on the Cornucopia, without anything to protect her. Her body shakes as she observes the arena. Just trees and grasses. Not much of a problem. Katniss spent most of her life in places like this. If only there weren't so much careers off to see her dead.

"Where's Marvel and Glimmer? And the boy and girl from three and four?" Cato asks Clove.

"Still battling it out there." Clove answers.

"I see." Cato looks at Katniss as he speaks to Clove, "Here, kill her." He picks up Katniss and throws her towards Clove.

Clove looks up at Katniss, "Not yet." she says.

Katniss takes a moment to make sense of her words. "Go, run." Clove says, "Live a few more days."

"What?" Cato asks in shock.

"You heard me princess. Run." Clove cocks her head toward the forest, signalling for Katniss to go there.

Katniss looks at Clove. Not moving even an inch, fearing that it might be a trap.

"K-Katniss?"

A familiar voice echoes through Katniss' ears. She looks toward where the voice came from. "Peeta."

"Why are you here? What's going on?" Peeta asks.

"Oh, what a lovely little brief reunion. Too bad it has to end. Run now Katniss before I change my mind!" Clove commands as she shows her the glint of the knife in her hand.

"What the fuck is this Clove?" Cato barks as he grabs Katniss' arm before she is able to leave, holding his sword against her throat. "If you don't kill her, I will."

"Cato, she's mine. I get to play with her. So let the girl go." Clove smirks.

Cato hesitates as he let her go, knowing that he'll regret this for sure.

"Katniss, go. Listen to her." Peeta says.

Katniss nods at him then makes a run for it. She dashes through the woods, not once looking back. She knew she had to change her direction after a while. The careers know where she passed. And when they finally decide it's time to hunt her down, they won't hesitate to kill her at all.

Just as Katniss dashed through the woods, she trips over something bulky but soft. She looks down at it, and a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.

An orange bag lays on the grass, someone must've dropped it. Katniss picks it up and continues down deep into the woods.

* * *

><p><strong>Clove<strong>

"Shit Clove! Why?" Cato yells.

"Yeah, Why did you do that?" Marvel asks after he and Glimmer were informed on the matter that took place before they arrived, "That could've been our only chance to kill her." He says.

"Wow, Marvel. Really? It might have been our only easy opportunity, but definitely not the only chance. And I thought you were _that _confident about your skills. The Firegirl really got you good, huh?" Glimmer says as Marvel snarls at her, "But seriously Clove, why'd you let her go?"

"Cato." Clove says.

"Me?" Cato questions, "I caused you to act this stupid?" He yells.

"Yeah you! Next time you see her, don't kill her, save her for me. Or else I might let her go again." Clove says.

"You're crazy." Cato says as he lets out a nervous laugh. He then heads back into the Cornucopia to get more food and weapons but not before kicking one of it's metal plates.

"Lets get more stuff then start to hunt for other tributes." Clove says.

"I thought girls only overreact about their looks, clothes, and shoes. But I guess some girls overreact about who to kill." Marvel whispers this to Glimmer, who apparently takes this as an insult. Cause she doesn't overreact, she believed so.

"I heard that, One." Clove says as she follows Cato into the Cornucopia.

Marvel shrugs and follows Clove together with the other careers.

Before she was able to enter the mouth of the Cornucopia, Clove took a deep breath. She knew Cato would be mad at her, he could even despise her for all she cares. All that matters is getting home now after all, she didn't care for anyone or anything, and according to her, no one in the arena was worth saving. If she could, it would probably be Cato, even though it's such a pain to be with him sometimes, he knows her well, he knows what it's like to be a career. But fortunately for Clove, he didn't too much about her, otherwise he might have suspected her of why she let Katniss go. Why she wanted Cato to be distracted for the time being. And why she wanted Peeta to join their alliance.

After she got reaped, Clove knew she could win this. But when Cato volunteered in place for some kid, the thought of winning was washed away, she knew she was dead. But then Katniss Everdeen came along and gave Cato a good enough reason for killing her, distracting him in the process. Now Clove's hope of becoming the victor was restored. Even if it meant killing Cato, she had to win this. _All thanks to you Katniss, _Clove thought _Maybe I'll make your death painless. _

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

_Stupid. _Katniss thought as she continues to run deeper into the forest, _That was so weak of me! _Katniss paused then punched a tree before her."For Prim, for Prim, for Prim." She said repeatedly then sighed. She stared at the tree before her then traced it with her eyes, all the way up. The tree looked strong, it had quite a fair amount of footholds, enough for her to climb it. So, she starts scaling the tree 'til it's 3rd highest branch.

When she reaches her branch of choice, she takes the backpack that she found on the ground and starts to zip it open. Her eyes fell in disappointment. Not much was inside, just a long rope, a raincoat, an empty canteen and a knife. She sighs, she would rather have a slingshot than a knife. She was never good with knives, well, she was okay, but compared to Clove she's just a sore loser. If she ever came across her, whether alone or not, she'd be dead.

At least she'll be able to cut meats or ropes with the knife, a slingshot couldn't do that, so perhaps it was good that it was a knife instead. All she has to do is keep away from the careers.

Katniss packs up her stuff then climbs down the tree and goes off to search for water. She recalls seeing a river while she was on the run, so she retraces her steps back. It took her a while to hear the faint sound of running water. She figured it was from the right, so she heads there. True enough, there was a river there. Beautiful. Great. Amazing. Katniss was glad she didn't have to try too hard to find water.

Katniss hurriedly knelt down and took out her canteen. She dipped down the container and slowly, it started to fill up.

"I get it. You're mad, just check that area will you?." Katniss hears a familiar voice behind the trees. She quickly got up and closed her canteen. She ran to a nearby bush and hid there.

"There's nothing here. I told you that already." Slowly coming to view is Cato, throwing his arms up, trying to reason with his partner that there's nothing nearby. Cato starts to come to the bank, "There's water, if that's what you're looking for." He lazily says.

Katniss hears a sigh, "Fine, just fill up our bottles before we come back." _Clove, _Katniss guessed. Suddenly around 3 or four bottles are being thrown nearby Cato.

"You're joking." Cato darts his eyes at her.

"I'm not, so do it. If you don't, Glimmer's getting the next kill."

"Whatever bitch." Katniss hears Cato mumble as he fills up the jugs with water. When he's finished, he doesn't move. He just looks at the opposite side of the river, then sighs. Katniss didn't know what to think of this, but it sure as hell wasn't expected.

After what felt like an hour, Cato finally gathers up the jugs filled with water then gets up and heads back to where he came from. Katniss let out a sigh of relief when she thought he'd already passed her. Well, she should've waited a minute longer before that.

Cato stops in his footsteps, "Anyone here?" He questions as he looks around the area. "If you show up, I'll be nice." He says it playfully evil, or at least that's how Katniss describes it to be.

_Yeah right, _Katniss thought. _You're never nice. _She was nervous of course. But she told herself not to chicken out like she did when she was by the Cornucopia. She just hides behind the bush and waits for Cato to give up on looking.

Unfortunately, he doesn't. "I know you're here, whoever you are." He says, almost sounding bored.

Katniss pulls out her knife, just in case he does find her and tries to kill her.

Cato starts looking behind rocks and checking on trees but finds nothing. Katniss' heart thumps louder and louder as he starts swinging his swords through all the bushes he could find. And just as he was about to swing his weapon through the bush she was hiding behind, she ducks as quick as possible, making a loud thud in the process. Busted.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

Cato smirks as he hears the thud. He starts to brush away the leaves that make up the bush, "You should've come out earlier like I-" He pauses as he sees Katniss holding up a knife towards him. He starts to burst into laughter, "So soon?"

Katniss just stares at him, she's probably making sure that he won't make a move on her. Damn she's a pain. "Come here," He attempts to pull up Katniss but she swung her knife across his hand before he was able to, making him jerk his arm. "Well, that hurt." He says as he wriggles the blood off his palms. "Look, just relax, I can't kill you anyway. Clove's rules." He says. But he would really like to. You know, kill her, or at least he thinks so. But Clove would just do something to piss him off and stuff, when all he really wants to do, is have fun, so he might as well go with the flow.

So, Cato once again, attempts to pull her up but she swings her knife again before he could succeed. Fortunately, he hasn't been wounded this time. "Clearly a knife wasn't the one that got you that eleven." He teases, "You missed."

"To hell with you." Katniss says bluntly.

"Well you seem different from our last encounter. Back at the Cornucopia you were awfully weak. Just like I thought you were the first time I saw you." Cato smirks.

"The first time I saw you, I thought you were a bastard. You haven't changed much."

Cato scowls, "You think your better than everyone here, huh?" He says as he tries to grab her again, though this time, he finally succeeds. Before she was able to swipe her knife through his hand once more, he gripped her wrist, so hard, that the knife she held fell on the ground.

She winces.

Cato feels a wave of an unfamiliar feeling rush through his body. He grabs Katniss' knife and points it at her after he lets go. "You move, you die. Got that?" He says. Katniss just gives him a confused look. _Where the hell are you Clove? _Cato wondered as he looked all over the place he was in.

"You said you couldn't kill me." Katniss states, "Now you're saying if I move, you will?"

Cato looks at her as she places herself in a sitting position and looks at him like he's crazy. "I can't. But Clove never said anything about me wounding you so badly, that you wish I would just kill you instead." He smirks.

"Right..." Katniss backs up to the boulder behind her, then suddenly her face reflected curiosity.

"What?" Cato hisses.

"Why won't you kill me?" Katniss asks.

"Are you stupid? I just told you I can't." He barks.

"Oh you can. But you're not allowed to. So I'm asking why not."

Cato lets out a laugh, "Because Clove wants to be the one who ends you. She hates you. A lot."

"Is that why she let me go?" Katniss says sarcastically.

Cato throws the knife he pointed at Katniss to the ground and replaces it's place with his sword, "Don't play smart with me. She let you go for a different reason. Not everything is about you Katniss."

"That was your punishment right? For trying to kill me even though she was supposed to."

Cato slides his sword across Katniss' cheek before she jerks to the side. There it is again, that feeling that's just so unfamiliar.

"You must at least regret that, right?" Katniss pushes, "I mean, if you hadn't tried to kill me, she would've done it and I would have been dead right now."

_That's it, _Cato thought. Regret, remorse, guilt. That was the foreign feeling that rushed through his body. Every emotion he didn't feel after he killed all those people. Yet when he so much as touches Katniss, he feels it all at once. Cato couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh. Which results to Katniss looking at him like he's crazy again. Cato's laugh, very slowly fades into a cold, almost deadly look.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

"Idiot!" Cato yells as he kicks the tree next to him. Then, he sits down and leans against it. He hits his head with his fist repeatedly, saying "Stupid, stupid, stupid." with his eyes closed. It was only normal that Katniss thought he went pyscho, and that's not exactly a good thing. But Katniss tries to make the most of it. Katniss slowly sneaks out, trying as much as possible to stay unnoticed. When she thought she was out of sight, she gets up then sighs. Then she turns around and runs back to her tree. Without Cato noticing at all. She couldn't help but smile.

* * *

><p><strong>Peeta<strong>

"Cato?" Clove calls out to the blonde career who's currently pounding his hand against the tree before him and cursing himself. "What's wrong?"

"Why'd you let her go?" Peeta hears Cato mumble.

Cato turns around, "Oh, um...nothing. I just cut myself." He says as he shows them his palm. Peeta thought it was sort of odd how he would get that angry about a cut, but he let it be, like he always does.

"Are the jugs filled?" Marvel asks.

Cato snarls at him, "Yeah, they're filled. Since a prick like you can't do shit, I filled it." He says.

Marvel just put on a smug look on his face.

"We should start to set up camp." The girl from four suggests. "Twelve are dead and twelve are alive. We're seven so that only leaves us with five threats. I don't think it would be much trouble if we settle for now."

When the careers start to look at her like she's crazy, Peeta steps in, cause he felt like he needed to. Plus, it would mean that the time they that might come across Katniss would be put on hold. "I agree." He starts to say, "The chances of the five of them joining forces are thin, so if they were to come at us, they would probably be in a group of three, tops, and we're seven, so it won't be a problem." Peeta shrugs.

"All right, Loverboy." convinced, Cato says, "Let's do that."

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

It was already night, and they had already set camp. On the way here, they had even killed a female tribute who was stupid enough to start a fire in the evening. So that meant thirteen dead and aside from Cato's pack, only four were roaming around the arena. Cato had nothing to worry about at all.

He, Clove, Marvel and Glimmer sat around the campfire they made. He wasn't really listening to what they were talking about because it really wasn't that interesting to him. He looked behind his shoulder and saw Peeta almost drifting into sleep on his sleeping bag. Cato stood up then heads toward Peeta. He pulls the blonde boy up before he could loose consciousness. Cato dropped him down in a sitting position then takes a seat across him, "Let's have a little chitchat, shall we?" Cato asks.

"W-why?" Peeta questions as he rubs his eyes.

"Why not? We're allies aren't we?" Cato smiles.

"It doesn't change the fact that you'd kill me if I wasn't any use to you." Peeta says.

"True, but that's not the case." Cato smirks, "So tell me about Katniss. You know, strengths, weaknesses, maybe, how she got that eleven, something! You want to be of some use, don't you?"

"Well, yeah."

"So?"

"She- uh attacked the pig's apple."

"What?" Cato asks, he doesn't understand anything the boy from twelve was saying, or trying to say.

"Exactly what I said."

"Okay..." Cato says, still not understanding. "What did she use to do that?"

"That, I can't tell you."

Just then, Marvel, Clove and Glimmer take a seat around Peeta's sleeping bag. "We want in on your conversation," Clove says.

"Yeah, tell us about your girlfriend. What's her name again, Katniss?" Glimmer says.

"Give us details on her." Clove says.

"Like the boys she dated, if she's good in kissing, in bed or-" Glimmer gets cut off.

"-that's not what I meant by details. I was talking about her skills." Clove says, "But that will have to do." She smiles, "Even us careers get to have a little gossip around here. Most of us will die anyway."

"I'm not." Cato says.

"Shut up, Cato." Clove says then turns to Peeta, "So is she?"

"Is she what?" Peeta wonders.

"Good in bed?" Marvel, Clove and Glimmer simultaneously ask.

"What the hell? Why would you even ask that? We should be learning about useful ways to find her, not- not this." Cato stands up, "I'm leaving." He says as he starts to walk away.

"Oh, but Cato, don't you want to find out if she's as good in bed in real life as she is in your dreams?" Clove teases.

Cato freezes in his steps. All eyes were on him. Clove, his ally, his partner, his annoying so-called "friend" just told the entire world about his dream, or at least what she thought it was about. But that's even worse.

"Hell Cato, is it true?" Marvel asks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Okay! Done. Still okay? Not too weird? **Keep the suggestions on what other couple you would like to see. Clove/Peeta is getting a lot of votes. **So? Review? Favorite? Suggest?

**Read on! =)**


	6. Kiss or Kill?

**A/N:** I think this chapter took the longest time to be updated, and for that, I'm sorry. **The reviews are as lovely as it's ever been. I always appreciate the longer ones. It always puts a smile on my face =) And I always think the shorter ones as cute. Like candy. **There are a lot of Cato/Katniss fanfictions out, and I'm glad that you still chose to read this one. Despite it being...not the best. But anyway, the chapter is up, and you should start reading =D Sorry for wasting your time.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

She got away. Again.

Katniss leans back on the tree that she found earlier. She tied her lap onto it's branches using the ropes she found in the orange bag she came across. Now she's just trying to put herself to sleep. Katniss looks up to the evening sky then sighs. Thoughts of her family, Gale, Madge...even Greasy Sae came into to mind. Katniss wanted to be back home more than anything right now. Back in the woods, hunting animals. Not people. Though most of the tributes alive could easily be compared to a predator, killing actual animals makes you feel a lot less guilty than killing any other human. Good, or evil. With this thought, she drifts to sleep and dreams.

"Unfortunately they got you first." She hears a voice, her view is fuzzy so she couldn't identify the owner. It seemed male. Familiar, but not too familiar. It's like she only heard it once or twice in her entire life. Her vision slowly starts to clear, "But I'll end it before it gets too painful." It's Marvel. He has a smug look on his face. He's kneeling and bending towards her. She was laying down on grass. Tall, green, beautiful grass. Wait, What was he talking about? She wasn't feeling any pain at all. And she didn't think that Marvel was actually serious about killing her nicely. This can't be real.

He brings out his knife as Katniss' heart starts to pump. She couldn't move. But not out of fear, she seriously can't move. It's like she's paralyzed. The second after that, she sees Marvel pushed to the ground by large arms. Glimmer gets him up then crosses her arms. Cato approaches Marvel and starts yelling at him. Cato was the one who pushed him off.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cato says, "We're trying to have fun here."

"What else do you want from her?" Marvel questions. "You've already gutted her alive!" He gestures towards me.

Katniss tenses. _He gutted me alive?_ she wondered. Lies. If she had been gutted alive, she'd feel the pain, searing through her, burning through her skin. Surprisingly, she could move now. She could feel her body being released from whatever prevented her to move. She tilts her head down, down to her waist. Suddenly, she wished she never looked down. She could see Clove, playing with her insides. Katniss' insides.

That's when Katniss' body reacted.

Katniss yelps in pain. Her fists, clenched on the grass. Her nails dug in the soil. Every inch of her body was searing with pain.

"I guess you're not that special. We all look the same on the inside." Clove laughs.

They all laugh.

Slowly, Clove's face changes into Prim's. And the careers begin to disappear. Slowly the pain fades together with her open wound. Katniss sits up.

"Katniss." Prim cries, "You almost died!" Prim's hands were covered with blood and stains are formed on her reaping dress.

"Everything's gonna be okay Prim, I promise. Everything's alright now." Katniss tells her sister as she lifts her hand to tuck in her blonde hair. Prim's tears fall down her cheek. "Look. I'm all fixed up. Don't worry."

"You didn't try hard enough!" Prim yells as more tears fall. Behind her sister, Katniss sees her mother standing. Doing absolutely nothing. Only a second away from slipping into depression, just like she did when their dad had died.

Katniss brings her hands to Prim's face, "Prim, I need you to be brave okay? Everything will be alright." she says.

"No, it's not! You're not trying your best." Prim insists.

"I am! I want to return home, Prim. I want to see you." Katniss says.

"Well I'm here now, but don't stop-"

"Prim?" Katniss shakes her shoulders, "Prim!"

Blood drips down Prim's lip as she falls over Katniss, revealing Cato at her back, holding a knife.

"What did you do?" Katniss yells as she gets up. "You killed her, you heartless bastard, you killed her!" Her voice gets hoarse. She chokes on her words, she couldn't believe it. Now her mother was in the zone she was once in before. She just dropped to the ground and stared at Prim's body.

This will be a never ending nightmare.

* * *

><p><strong>Cato<strong>

"Hell Cato, Is it true?" Marvel questions.

_That son of a- I'm gonna kill her. _Cato thought.

"Hello? Earth to Cato, answer." Glimmer says, almost anxious to hear his answer, she can't deny the fact that she thought about Cato, in "that way" more the once.

Cato shrugs. He didn't want to give anything away. Throwing a rampage would mean he cares. And he didn't, so why bother? He'll deal with Clove later.

"So it's true?" Peeta asks which leads to everyone looking at him. "What? I'm just as curious as you guys."

"Well yeah but it's different." Glimmer says in an are-you-stupid-or-something? way, "You love her. We don't."

Cato smiles a bit inside. The spotlight is off his back for the minute. Giving him more time to think of a way out of Clove's mess. He shoots her a death glare before anything else happens.

"I'm helping you find her, which will lead to you killing her. I don't think that's what you call love." Peeta reasons.

"Oh? Then what do you call it?"

"Guys. Shut up for a minute please." Marvel says then looks at Cato, "Dear Cato the killing machine, who couldn't care less about a soul and soon plans to drain the life out of me, and my allies. Are you seriously thinking of Katniss that way?" He questions.

Cato was about to say something, mouth already open. Kind of upset that he is the center of attention again. But thanks to Glimmer, well guess not.

"Why? Are you jealous?" Glimmer teases.

"I said shut up. We're not getting an answer out of him if you won't." Marvel rolls his eyes, "Just go put on some lipstick or something."

Cato tries his best to suppress a snicker. He just needed to keep his cool. As if he didn't care at all about what Clove had just told them. Like it meant nothing to him. Not saying that it doesn't already.

"Why do people always think that? I'm not some barbie who can't help but play dress up all day. I'm just as skilled as every one of you." Glimmer states.

"Are you serious?" Clove laughs.

"Yeah I am, what makes you think I'm not?" Glimmer throws her hands in the air.

"Sshh!" Marvel hushes them then glares at Glimmer, "Clove could be lying, but we'll never know just because you, and your pretty little doll face won't admit to anything."

"I'm not lying." Clove says the same time Glimmer says, "There's nothing to admit!"

Then everyone's gaze is traced back to Cato.

_Well shit. _Cato thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Peeta<strong>

Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah.

Everyone of the four careers before Peeta just wouldn't stop bickering. Except Cato though, he seemed to enjoy whatever's happening at the moment. He's probably glad their attention wasn't on him. But why would he be? Clove was lying right?

When everyone's done arguing, their eyes find Cato.

It took a long pause before anyone started to speak. "She's lying." Cato shrugs.

That was a smooth move. No wonder a lot of girls fawned over him. How Peeta knew this? When Cato volunteered nearly half of the girls cried and around two or three fainted.

"Knew it." Glimmer sings.

Marvel shrugs then gets up with Glimmer and follow Cato.

"Wow. Really?" Clove questions, "One word from Cato and all of you just drop the case?"

Marvel turns around, "Is there any reason not to?" He asks.

Clove stays silent and looks down, "I'd prefer not to say."

"Okay then." Marvel heads to his sleeping bag and starts to drift to sleep.

"Clove, first shift?" Cato asks cooly. As if he was proud of himself.

Clove nods after she shoots him a glare. Cato shrugs and heads to his side of the area. Glimmer does the same.

Peeta looks at Clove before he tucks himself in, hoping that she would go away from his side. When Clove doesn't move, Peeta shrugs it off and starts to get in the bag.

"Don't sleep yet loverboy." Clove says, "I've got some questions for you."

Peeta sits up, "Can't it wait?" He asks.

Clove shakes her head then smirks.

* * *

><p><strong>Katniss<strong>

"This is all your fault." Still trapped in a nightmare, Katniss looks up at Cato who has spoken. She scrambles for a weapon. None in her reach. "You shouldn't have volunteered. Now both of you have to die." Cato continues.

"You're sick." Katniss spits out.

"By choice." Cato smirks, "I chose to be this way. I chose to volunteer. Just like you did."

"Don't you dare put me in the same level as you. We both know that we volunteered for completely different reasons." Katniss gets up. More confident. Defiant.

Cato steps forward, leaving a good 3-feet cap between them, "But it seems that you've gambled on both your lives." Cato looks down at Prim, and suddenly, Katniss just fell apart.

"This isn't real." She says.

Cato walks up to Katniss and tilts her chin up with one finger, "Then wake up before I kiss - kill you." His voice shakes, mixing up the words. Like her dream just went static.

Katniss' mind goes into turmoil. _Did he say kiss or kill? _She wondered. When she looks up at Cato's blue eyes, she wakes up. Her hands shaky and her throat scratchy. It couldn't have been kiss, Cato made it perfectly clear that he wanted her dead. She takes a deep breath and rubs her eyes. She can't let her feelings show, she wanted to just cry and tell Prim she misses her so much, but this was the Hunger Games. Katniss couldn't afford to lose anymore sponsors. She unties the rope that holds her against the tree then climbs down, her orange backpack still strapped on her shoulders. She has no destination, she just keeps walking and walking in one direction. Not looking back once. She wonders how Peeta is doing with the careers. If they're grilling him with questions about her skills, or if they're just letting him be. But that seemed unlikely. She just hopes that he's still alive so that she'll still have a chance of repaying him for all that he's done for her. She wouldn't want to be indebted to him any longer, anymore. If only Cato hadn't found her behind the Cornucopia, she could've sought out Peeta and convince him to stay away from the careers. The world is just unfair about every speck of dust.

Just when Katniss thought she should take a break. A cackling sound reaches her ears. She looks to her right, and there it was. A huge wave of fire, turning everything in it's way into ashes. She sprints back the path she took. _Damn those game makers. _She cursed. At first, she was doing alright, no trouble she couldn't handle. The fire raced toward her in its natural speed and there weren't too many twigs or rocks that had to be skipped over. She thought she could beat the fire easily but that was before a fireball shot out of nowhere. Luckily, she managed to jump out of the way, just in time. _They want me to die as the girl on fire too, don't they?_ She thought. The people of the Capitol were having just too much fun.

Katniss continues to run for her life. A few balls of flame shoot at her every once in a while but she dodges all of them successfully. Except for one. When a tree, so large dropped right in front of her, she had no time to think. Especially after a fireball was just a few meters away from her skin. She jumped out of the way just as the flames cooked up some of her skin from the leg. Katniss yelps in pain. She knew she couldn't just stay on the ground, the wave of fire was coming and the game makers would probably throw another fireball at her. So she quickly limps away.

A minute later, Katniss finds herself a river. She hastily throws herself in it. A pang of relief washed through her veins the moment her wound hit the water. The river's current wasn't that strong, which made it all the more relaxing.

"Jackpot! I spotted District twelve's prodigy." Because the voice was still fresh from her dream, she instantly recognized it. Marvel. With the rest of the careers, cheering their heads off.

Katniss stumbles once she realizes that she had just stepped into an even more dangerous situation than the last one. She half swims and half walks her way off to the river's bank, with the careers well on her tail. "Come on guys, pick up the pace!" She hears someone yell, she could tell that it was female, but not much more than that. Katniss tries her best to sprint off somewhere, anywhere away from the career pack. Along the way, she pauses. Catching her breath, her limbs feel like it was about to fall off, and her back tickles with dripping sweat. She looks back, the careers are still a good 50-meters away from her. She looks at the tree before her, it looked just as stable as the last tree she had found, so she starts scaling it. She was a jump away from a secure branch when she heard Cato from below the tree.

"Clove, give me the bow and quiver, now!" Cato ordered.

Clove quickly shoved the weapon in his hand. She didn't look too fond of the idea of him commanding her.

"You," He addresses Glimmer, "You said you were good at this, right?" He questions as he shows her the weapon.

"Not exactly," She says nervously, "I said I knew how to use one."

Katniss reaches her designated branch, then she looks at the commotion going on down below. She almost wanted to jump at them and steal the bow and quiver in Cato's hands once she saw it. It could be the key of her victory. Her chances of winning could be multiplied a dozen when she has that weapon on her hands.

Cato grumbles, and drops the bow and quiver, then starts to scale the tree Katniss was on, sword in hand. He was only half way up the 1st branch before he fell to the ground. Katniss raises her brow as she sees Clove trying to suppress a laugh.

"Give it a try!" Cato orders Glimmer, pointing at the weapons on the ground.

Glimmer nods and picks it up. She takes one arrow then starts aiming. A second later, the arrow flies, missing Katniss by half a meter. Katniss almost smiles, she always took pride in her archery skills. Knowing that she's better than a career, might have lightened her up. Besides, even if the arrow was perfectly aimed at her, it couldn't have done any critical damages. The arrow was wobbly, almost flailing. It wasn't strong enough. Cato hisses at his comrade, and snatches away the bow and arrow in her hands. He makes a go at it, but the results are just the same. Didn't require any dodging.

Katniss sees a funny look on Clove again, but ignores it. She looks over at Peeta. Who is looking at her with eyes of pity. Katniss doesn't smile or signal anything. Fearing that the careers might notice that they're still on good terms. Katniss looks away, "So careers don't know how to use a bow and arrow, or even climb a tree?" Katniss looks at Cato defiantly. She's sick of acting so weak whenever they're around. She disgusts herself, "I guess I've overestimated you." She says.

Katniss watches as each of the careers' smug expressions turn into hate and rage. Except Marvel though, his face always has a smug look glued to it. Like every word Katniss had just said amused him. Which was odd.

"When I get you I swear I'm gonna-" Cato gets cut off by Peeta which made Katniss want to punch his face for being so reckless.

"Let's set camp." Peeta starts, "We'll wait her out. It's not like she's going to stay there forever, she'll come down sooner or later, right?" He suggests.

Every one of the careers look at Peeta, as the girl from four and boy from three nods, agreeing with him. Marvel shrugs, "Let's do it. There's no harm."

"Fine," Cato says then looks up at Katniss, "But I swear I'll see you dead, Katniss."

Katniss takes a deep breath, relieved that Peeta hadn't set off a bomb. "I'll be waiting." She smirks. _You won't be getting anymore silence from me, _Katniss thought. _I'll save Peeta, at least from monsters like you._  
><em><br>_Then there it is again, Marvel's little smirk. Usually it's just there for no reason, but Katniss could just smell the scent of reason off of it.

"Fuck you." Cato spits at Katniss, then he looks at the others, "Grab some wood and make a fire. No one will be stupid enough to come across us." He commands as he takes one more look at Katniss. Eyes so cold it could freeze you to death.

_Oh yeah, he definitely meant kill. _Katniss thought.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: PLEASE TELL ME IF THERE ARE ANY ERRORS. I didn't reread it because it has been so long since I updated, I wanted it to be out already. **You'll find out what Clove asked Peeta in the next chapter. Also, THE TRACKER JACKER SCENE will be on the following chapter. Plus, a tweak in the original Hunger Games story. =) **Please review, I need suggestions on how the ending will play out. Don't worry, I'm not going to rip off the idea off of you. REVIEW. FAVORITE. SUBSCRIBE.**


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